


Interhouse Enmity

by SeriousMelAM



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-07-09
Updated: 2006-07-09
Packaged: 2018-01-19 19:16:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1480996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeriousMelAM/pseuds/SeriousMelAM
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Minerva was hoping to write the Hogwarts letters in peace, but one can't hope for so much when Horace Slughorn knows there is a list of new student's names about.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Interhouse Enmity

**Pairings/Characters:** Minerva, Slughorn  
 **Summary:** Minerva was hoping to write the Hogwarts letters in peace, but one can't hope for so much when Horace Slughorn knows there is a list of new student's names about.  
 **A/N:** For the 'New Term Challenge' at [](http://quinquatrus.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://quinquatrus.livejournal.com/)**quinquatrus**. Prompt being: McG is preparing the first years' letters for coming term and notices Regulus Black's name. She sighs and just knows that, one way or another, this can only lead to at least one Black in a strop.

For thousands of years it had been tradition for the Deputy Headmaster or Headmistress to prepare the letters that were sent out to Hogwart’s incoming first year students. This year was no different, though it also brought a list of future pupils, which in comparison to years past was rather long. It had been delivered to Minerva late at night and she had made an executive decision to get some sleep and start first thing in the morning.

Morning came and she situated herself in her office. On her desk she arranged the things she would need in order to complete the task before her; the student list, a stack of parchment, parchment envelopes, quill and ink, sealing wax, the ancient Hogwarts seal, a hot cup of lemon tea and a tin of assorted biscuits.

The ink on the first letter had barely dried before there was a knock at the door. Without waiting for an answer Minerva’s visitor opened the door and stepped into the room. It was Horace Slughorn.

“What do you want Horace?” Minerva asked the irritation in her voice barely concealed as she addressed the envelope that was meant to accompany the letter she had just completed.

“Good morning to you too Minerva,” Slughorn replied a cheery smile on his face as he took a seat across from her at the desk.

She spared him a sharp glance before conjuring a second cup of tea and waving it toward him. “I’m afraid I have a great deal of work to do Horace, so you’ll have to excuse my inattentiveness as a hostess.”

“I understand entirely,” the potions professor said sipping gingerly at his tea, “but you will find that my visit pertains to your current business.”

“Yes, Horace I know; considering that you have done this every year since I became Deputy Headmistress.” Minerva had started in on the next letter, her handwriting flawless even as her frustration increased. Slughorn looked at her hopefully over his tea. “And no, I won’t tell you if there are any names on the list that look promising for your ridiculous club.”

His face fell. “How can knowing who some of the new students are hurt anyone Minerva?” he asked setting his cup down on her desk.

“Horace, I am far too busy to go combing though the roster for your so called promising names,” Minerva snapped.

“Well you wouldn’t necessarily have to. I could just sneak a peek at the list myself while you work on the letters,” he said moving a hand toward the roll of parchment. Minerva fixed him with a stern stare and actually stopped writing, though she was careful to lift her quill off of the parchment to avoid blotching.

“I’ll be as quiet as a church mouse, you won’t even know I’m here,” Slughorn said drawing the pinched thumb and fore finger of his right had across his lips as though he were closing a zipper.

Something told Minerva this wasn’t true, but she shrugged in resignation, gesturing for him to take the list so that she could get some work done on the letters. Slughorn did just that and sure enough silence descended over the office.

The quiet rapore didn’t last very long though because when Slughorn reached the ‘B’s he couldn’t help but make a comment. “Regulus Black, I can only hope he’s not anything like his brother.”

“Horace, was that meant as an anti-Gryffindor statement by any chance?” Minerva asked one eyebrow raised severely as she looked up at him from the parchment.

“Not so much as it is an anti-Sirius Black statement Minerva,” Slughorn answered, obstinately not looking away from the list of names.

“You only say that because he wasn’t sorted into your house, and won’t stand for any of that silly rubbish with your Slug Club.” Minerva knew that Sirius Black’s having been sorted into Gryffindor was still a sore subject for Slughorn, and she spared him a sidelong glance to see his reaction.

“I’ll have you know, The Slug Club is not silly rubbish,” Slughorn said returning her glance.

Minerva suppressed a laugh deciding that it was best not to get into yet another tiff about The Slug Club especially when she had so much work to get done. Instead she set quill to parchment and finished the letter she was working on.

“I’ll have you know that I feel that Sirius Black is a bit of an anomaly in his family. I’m sure that his younger brother will be much more to your liking,” Minerva said.

“I understand that you don’t much like Walburga Black,” he replied.

“What would that have to do with anything?” Minerva asked dotting an ‘i’ with a bit more gusto than was necessary.

“That would make your last comment a rather derogatory one against my house,” Slughorn answered.

“No so much an anti-Slytherin statement as it is an anti-Walburga Black statement,” she countered. There was a moment of terse silence between them before Minerva said, “This is exactly why we can only expect trouble from the brothers Black.”

“Oh?” Slughorn replied.

“Vastly different views of the world, coupled with a distinct lack of maturity, as well as a lack of self control and concern for the rules on Sirius’ part. I can guarantee that we’ll have one of them in detention before the first week of term is through,” Minerva said in answer dipping her quill and starting a new letter as she spoke. “Now if you don’t much mind, I have a great deal of work to do.” She fixed him with a very pointed look.

“Well then I shall leave you to your business,” he answered returning the list to the desk before taking his leave of her office.

Minerva let out a small sigh; it was rather disparaging all of the enmity between the houses. She knew that one day, perhaps sooner than later, all of the hostility and disagreement over something as petty as blood would lead to something far worse than malicious hexing in the halls and detentions.


End file.
